The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-05-26
Women in the War.
INVALUABLE SERVICES IN THE TINE o
NEEn

Helen n. Packard at Memorial Service
held by Wilcox Relief Corps, of Spring
field, Mass, in 1886:
1t is fitting that at this late day there
should be a hearty, if tardy, recognition
of the services of women in the war. A
quarter of a century has passed away
and we are only just awakened to a rec
ognition of their faithful, and invaluable
services to the defenders of our common
country. Ii is fitting that we, who have
taken up the yet unfinished work, should
stand here tonight to eulOgiZc the SER
ices OF women in tho war. Many left
comfortable and luxurious homes to
share the privatiOnS of the camp and
hospital. Tendcrly nurtured women,
whose lives had hitherto been guarded
with jealous care from everything rude
and unpleasant, shook Off the dainty
garments Of wealth and ease, and stood
forth heroines for the Just cause of libcr-
ty and equal rights. From the balmy
South, whose purping hills and sunny
slopes were drenched with the warm
young blood of the North, went up a
wall Of anguish for the tender hand of
woman to moisten the parched lip and
the fcvercd brow to take down the last
dying message for the loved ones at
home, and whisper sweet words Of Il re-
union in Il taircr land. Before the echo
Of the last gun on Sumter had died
away on the Southern air, women all
over the North were scraping lint and
rolling bandages, but not until after the
fatal 2Ist Of July did our women fully
realize the sacred mission which awaited
them in the bleeding South. In answer
to the call came the wives, mothers and
sisters OF This young republic by the
thousands. 4 large share of these we're
of a necessity rejected. Age, character
and capability were the considerations
and those who met the various require
mcnts We're accepted. But now a query
went up over all the land: "What can
we do! We cannot idly fold our hands
while the boys at the front need so much
done Tor Them In answer to this pray
er there sprang into existence the SAM
tary and Christian commissions Prey
ious to the organization of these gigantic
charities there had existed il very I'M
perfect method Of sending supplies to the
boys at the front, but by the establish
mcnt of these commissions, conceived
and carried out 10y the best executive
ability in the country, the work was
systcmatiZcd and most thoroughly and
faithfully done.
1t is not my purpose to enter into any
detailed account of these commissions. I
speak of them to show the eager css of
the loyal woman to do something for the
soldiers, and also to draw your attention
to the fact that mainly to the women of
| the North are you indebted for that
grand system OF charity, the Sanitary
commission, and to the clergy for the
Christian commission. To Miss Louise
given the credit or organizing the vast
charity, which was eventually the means
of saving thousands of lives. We all
know how thousands of busy fingers
scrapcd lint and prepared bandages,
while tirclcss knitters fashioned the
warm hose fer the weary and blistercd
feet. At the same time others were
making Undertaking and bedding, while
in the country wines, iellies and canned
fruits were prepared unstintingly for
hospital stores.
But the army nurses. Those brave
women who daily and hourly witnessed
the most hcartrcndng scenes, whose
lives for years was Il daily martyrdom in
striving to subduc the tender feelings OF
a wpnlan's heart in the stern duties of
II! army nurse. To those especially
should our thoughts turn at this time.
The diary Of Mrs Belle Reynolds, of
Shclburne Falls, kept for nearly four
years, is indeed a revelation of what they
suffered bodily and mentally. The work
Of the nurse was hard and unsatisfac-
tory, until after the organization of the
two commissions. Then the work was
systcmatized as far us possible, and order
and method took the place Of chaos ana
confusion. Then the blessed tree of
charity blossomcd and bore abundant
fruit, and stretched its huge arms into
every State in the Union. Each branch
OF the commission, in the different
States, sent its own nurses for its own
regiments (as far as possiblc), and sent
sanitary supplies direct to them. Nv
this method the piltering and petty
th!evlng among small officials was al
most entirely done away with. 1t is re-
lated of Mother Bickcrdyke that once
suspecting a certain surgeon OF contis-
eating her hospital stores for his private
table. she visited his tent just before his
dinner hour, only to find his table load
ed with wine, jclies and other dclicacies
She made a clean sweep Of the good
things, straightway took the boat for
Pittsburgh Landing, saw Gen. Grant,
and in "A hours the guilty surgeon was
under arrest. All honor to Mother Bick
crdyke. She WAS loyal, good and true,
and many gray-headed veteran now
lives to call her Blessed. Possessed of
great physical strength it was easy for
her TO lift and carry in her arms to the
field hospital many a poor wounded and
dying boy. Culture she had not, but
native shrcwdness and practical good
sense were her royal brthright. But
above all else she possessed Il big moth
clly heart, whose every throb was for
the boys in blue, and it is our earnest
hope that her Old age may he made easy
and her pathway to the other shore
bright with the immortelles of gratitude
from the boys she loved and served so
well. Many of the most devoted of the
nurses laid down their burdens and pass
ed over to the majority before tie conflict
WAS ended. They died upon the field of
honor and
| "Their cuoyics are written
| In letters fair and bright,
| ON the page of immortality
In Wonder world of light
| Prominent among those who fell by
the wa. side was Anna Maria Ross, of
Philadelphia. 1t was mainly through
her eXertions that the famous cooper's
shop saloon, of Philadelphia, was inau-
gurated and sustained. In October,
1861, she started the hospital in connec-
ton with the saloon and for Two years
lahorcd increasingly for the institution.
AS McClelan's campaign progressed to
its disastrous close, as Pope fell back to
Washington and the Union forces again
advanced and met the flushed chemy on
the fatal field of Antietam; as Frcder-
icksburg aud Charlottesville and Get
tysburg followed with their hosts of
wounded, the hospital Of the coopcr's
shop saloon was kept constantly filled.
She saw the need of soldiers home,
and rested not until she saw the money
raised and the work commenced. That
home was at once her grave and her
monument. In December, 1863, the
overtasked body gave way, and she laid
down to sleep, using her burdens for a
pillow, and death kissed down the eye
lids still. AS truly as the hero who fell
piorpa1 with hic .}oath obot mot ,o J,;c